A SOLEMN CAUTION AGAINST THE TEN HORNS OF CALVINISM. BY PHILALETHES, LATELY ESCAPED. FOURTH EDITION, CORRECTED. And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and I saw a beast rise up outof the sea, having seven heads and Ten Horns. Rev. Xiii. 1. LEEDS: PRINTED BY JAMES NICHOLS, 36, BRIGGATE, AND SOLD BY OTHERBOOKSELLERS. 1819. TO THE REV. JOHN WESLEY. Reverend Sir, THE author of the following strictures hopes your candour willpardon his addressing you in this public manner. Who he is, or whathe is, signifies very little; only he begs leave to intimate, thathe hopes he is a follower of that Saviour who "gave himself a ransomfor all. " He was convinced when young in years, in a great measure, by reading "Alleine's Alarm;" and the Calvinists being the onlyprofessing people near him, he soon got acquainted with them, andwas, for some time, in their connexion. Being young in years, experience, and knowledge, he saw with their eyes, and heard withtheir ears; yet not without many scruples concerning the truth ofseveral of their tenets. Sometimes he proposed his doubts, yetseldom had much satisfaction; but rather was a little brow-beatenfor being muddy-headed. He often paused, and pondered, and read, andrubbed his head, and wondered what he ailed. Cole on "God'sSovereignty" was put into his hands to clear his dull head, and makehim quite orthodox; but still he could not see how God could be justin condemning men for exactly doing what he had decreed them to do. After many conflicts, your little piece, entitled, "PredestinationCalmly Considered" fell into his hands; he read it over with thatattention which both the doctrine and performance deserve; and neverhad a doubt, from that day to this, that God is loving to every man. You will, dear sir, excuse the liberty which he has taken inrecommending that little useful piece, as well as some others, whichare published in your catalogue. But, perhaps, you will say, "Whohath required this performance at your hands? Are there not alreadybetter books written upon the subject than yours?" He answers, Yes;there are books much better written: They are really written toowell for the generality of readers. He wanted to adapt something tothe genius and pockets of the people. The generality of such asprofess religion are poor, and have little time, little capacity, little money. If they read and understand this, perhaps they may becapable of relishing something better. However, the writer throws inhis mite, and hopes it will be acceptable. In the meantime may you, who have much to cast into the divine treasury, go on and abounduntil you finish your course with joy. I am, Reverend Sir, yourobedient and humble servant, THE AUTHOR. _December_ 5_th_, 1779. A SOLEMN CAUTION, _&c. _ When the forerunner of our blessed Lord came preaching hisdispensation among men, it is said, "the same came for a witness, tobear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe. He was not the light, but was sent to bear witness of the light. That was the true light which lighteth every man which cometh intothe world. " It is farther added, "this is the condemnation, thatlight is come into the world, but men love darkness rather thanlight. " One would think such express testimonies were sufficient to convinceany man who attentively considers what is here spoken, and who spakethese words, "that Christ tasted death for every man;" and that he"would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of thetruth. " Yet it is well known, men have found the art of torturingthese and many other scriptures to death, so as to leave neitherlife nor meaning in them. For many years I did not see the badtendency which unconditional predestination has; for though I wasconvinced that it was not a scriptural doctrine, yet knowing somewho held it to be gracious souls, I was ready to conclude that allor the greater part were thus happily inconsistent, and so, contraryto the genius and tendency of their doctrine, were perfectingholiness in the fear of the Lord. But latter years have convinced meto the contrary; and though many are either afraid or ashamed tohold it forth in its full extent, and have kept its chief featuresout of sight, yet it is still like that second beast which ismentioned in the Revelation, --its horns are like a lamb; but attendclosely to it, and it speaks like the true dragon, and with its tenhorns is pushing at the saints of the Most High; and, I fear, hascast down many, and is still pushing every way to the great dangerof many more. Many who were simply going on their way, rejoicing ina crucified Saviour, denying themselves, and taking up their cross, --no sooner has this beast obstructed their way, but they haveunwarily been seduced from the path of life. Having now their eyesopened, they are become wise in their own conceits, and are nolonger the same simple, patient followers of the Lamb; but soonbecome positive, self-conceited, and gradually fall back into theworld again. It is true, many excellent checks have been given to this growingplague; several of which are mentioned in the subsequent part ofthis little performance: Yet they are really too well written, andtoo large, for the generality of readers. Such arguments as Mr. Toplady and Mr. Hill have made use of, that is, being pretty liberalin calling foul names, are far more taking than rational scripturalreasoning. I could not prevail upon myself to stoop so low; truthdoes not require it. Yet a few plain strictures, just giving aconcise view of some of the principal features of this beast, iswhat is pretended to here. I think I shall avoid all railingaccusations, all personal abuse; there being something so low andmean in scurrility, that it can never help the cause of pure andundefiled religion. The following positions, concerning absolutepredestination, I hope to make appear. The sum of Calvinism is contained in that article in "the Assembly'sCatechism, " viz. , "that God, from all eternity, hath ordainedwhatsoever comes to pass in time. " From hence naturally follow theensuing ten blasphemous absurdities:-- I. If it is so, that, God has from all eternity ordained whatsoevercomes to pass in time; then it is certain, nothing can come to passbut what he hath ordained or appointed. --But, we are sensible, themost shocking things have come to pass; such is the rebellion andfall of the angels, who kept not their stations, but are become theenemies of God and man, and seeking to do all the mischief they canin the world. But if God has, by an express decree, ordainedwhatsoever shall come to pass, he has ordained that these angelsshould sin, and fall, and become devils; they could not help it; andall the mischief they do in the world is but fulfilling the divinedecree. Likewise it was ordained, that they should seduce man, andthat he should fall, and propagate a race of sinful creatures likehimself, and that all the shocking consequences should follow; thatCain should murder his brother; that the old world should beimmersed in sin and sensuality, and then be drowned; and, thoughNoah was a preacher of righteousness a hundred and twenty years, that none should believe and be saved; likewise the arriving of theSodomites to such an enormous pitch of wickedness, was ordained; andthat they should burn in lust, working that which was unseemly, andperish by fire; also that the Israelites should murmur, tempt God, commit fornication in the wilderness, and their carcases should thenfall; in like manner, after they were settled in the promised land, that they should fall in with the various abominations, such asburning their children to Moloch, use enchantments, witchcrafts, andevery other abomination which we find them charged with. Then wasnot the cruelty exercised by Pagans, or Papists, or Mahometans allordained?--also all the massacres, treacheries, plundering, burningof towns and cities, dashing poor infants to pieces, or starvingthem to death, ripping up their mothers, together with all therapes, murders, and sacrileges which have ever come or shall come topass? I say, this doctrine charges the blessed, the merciful Godwith it all, by ordaining from all eternity whatsoever shall come topass in time. Here is no overstraining, no forcing things; it is theunavoidable consequence, as much as a man charging, pointing, andfiring a cannon at any one or number of men is the cause of theirdeath. The powder, cannon, and ball only do what the men appointthem to do. Reader, is not this shocking? Does not thy blood chillat reading all this blasphemy? I am sure mine does at writing. Iknow, great care is taken to hide their monstrous visage; but as itis there, I am determined to drag it out to light. II. This doctrine makes the day of judgment past;--a heresy whichvery early found its way into the church of God, and therebyoverthrew the faith of some. If God from all eternity ordainedwhatsoever shall come to pass in time, then he ordained who should, and who should not, be damned. Now if there be anything in the day of judgment analogous to what istransacted in courts of justice here, then causes are to be tried bythe law or word, and such as have voluntarily committed crimes areto be punished accordingly, and every cause is to have a fairhearing, Rev. Xx. 12. But, according to the scheme of absolutepredestination, all is settled and fixed already; then there is nojudging of every man "according to his works, " but according to whatis before ordained concerning him. So that the clay of judgment is asolemn farce, or rather we may call it the day of execution, seeingit is only to execute what was long ago determined. What aridiculous idea does this give us of the proceedings of that greatand awful day! Should the king summon a number of cannons to taketheir trial in Westminster-Hall for blowing down some city, whichcannon had been fired by his secret orders, would not every one whoknew the affair both despise, and in their judgment condemn, such afoolery? But how does judging men for doing that which He has beforedetermined they should do, reflect upon the wisdom and goodness ofthe Almighty? It is said of Nero, that he secretly ordered Rome tobe set on fire, and then laid the blame upon the Christians, andordered them to be persecuted for the same. But is it not horridbeyond conception to represent the God of wisdom, mercy, andgoodness, even worse and more ridiculous than Nero? Such is theconsequence of absolute predestination. III. It contradicts the plain word of God. --To quote all the textsof Scripture which it contradicts, would quite swell this littleperformance too large. A few, however, shall be selected. "The Lordis good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works, "Psalm cxlv. 9. "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure inthe death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way andlive. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways: For why will ye die, Ohouse of Israel?" Ezek. Xxxiii. 11. These two testimonies from the Old Testament cut off all absolutepredestination at a stroke. If God is good to all, or if he isloving to every man, how can this consist with his "Consigning their unborn souls to hell, Or damning them from their mother's womb?" If his tender mercies are over all his works, how can this consistwith fore-ordaining that the greatest part of mankind should sin andbe damned for ever? Now, what loving tender heart can take anysatisfaction in any such broad blasphemies? Again: if God takes no pleasure in the death of a sinner, certainlyhe affords him proper means of living; but that he takes no pleasurein the death of such, we have not only his word, but his oath forit; and, as he could swear by no greater, he has sworn by himself. "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death ofthe wicked, " &c. Now, must he not have a large stock of impudencewho can give the God of truth here the lie? What kind of brass musthis brow be cased with? For me to see a poor creature hanging over adreadful fiery furnace, and have it in my power to help him with aword, and will not help him, nay, order him secretly to be pushedin, and yet stand, and in the most solemn manner cry, "As I live, Ihave no pleasure in your death;" yea, passionately cry out, "Whywill ye die? turn ye, turn ye;"--now I say, where would be mysincerity all the time? When I have pushed the contenders forreprobation in this manner, the cry has been, "O, that is yourcarnal, human reason!" Indeed I think the other is devilish, inhumanreason. I shall now select a few witnesses from the New Testament. Hear thelip of truth expostulating with the unhappy Jerusalem, a littlebefore it suffered: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest theprophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often wouldI have gathered thy children together, as a hen gathereth her broodunder her wings, and ye would not!" Luke xiii. 34. "Of a truth Iperceive, that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted withhim, " Acts x. 34, 35. "For God hath concluded them all in unbeliefthat he might have mercy upon all, " Rom. Xi. 32. "Who will have allmen to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth, " 1 Tim. Ii. 4. "Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in duetime, " 1 Tim. Ii. 6. "For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, bath appeared to all men, " Titus ii. 11. "He, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man, " Heb. Ii. 9. I shall multiply no more quotations; these are sufficient. Only Iwould ask, Is there any meaning in language? Or are words intendedto convey any fixed and determined meaning? If that is the case, then absolute predestination manifestly contradicts the plaintestimony of Scripture, and therefore must spring from the father oflies; and, as such, is to be abhorred. IV. It has a tendency to render all means useless. --I know it isasserted, that He who has ordained the end, has appointed the meansthereunto: And this observation, understood rightly, is a greattruth. But has God so ordained, that there is no liberty left forfree agency? Has he appointed that one must be a preacher, andanother a curser and swearer? that one must give his goods to feedthe poor, and another must steal and plunder, and so live upon spoiland rapine? Or has the Lord given a power to every man either tochoose or refuse? This is what the Bible maintains, or otherwise themany exhortations, reproofs, expostulations, and threatenings are invain. Now we are exhorted to pray: "To pray! for what?" Such thingsas we are sensible we stand in need of. Yea, and it is said, "Yehave not:" "And why had they not? Was it because God had decreed togive them nothing?" No such thing; they have not, because they didnot ask. For if God had decreed to give them nothing, then they hadnot been to blame; but they are charged with neglect in not asking, and that is assigned as the reason of their not receiving. This isperfectly consistent with what our Lord has said, "Ask, and it shallbe given; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened. "Well, but all this asking, knocking, seeking, is all lost labour, ifthere be any such decree as is mentioned above. For can all thispraying, and asking, and seeking, alter what is irreversibly decreedto be done? Indeed this borders upon deism; for the deists argue, "Do you think that praying will make God change his mind?" Now if webelieve the Bible, we must ask God to give us the blessings we standin need of, and cannot warrantably expect to receive without asking. The same holds good with regard to family prayer. I ask eternal lifefor my wife, children, or friends. How vain is all my labour! For ifGod has decreed to give them eternal life, they shall have it in theway, time, place, and manner it is decreed for them, whether I prayor not. And if God has not decreed to give it unto them, all mypraying can never change the decree. I find a love to poor perishing sinners in some town or village, andI go to persuade them to be reconciled to God: Many of them use meill, not only with reviling language, but even with sticks, orstones, or clods, or rotten eggs. Why, what a fool was I to exposemyself on any such account! If they are decreed to be saved, theyshall be saved; or lost, they shall be lost: So that my sufferingand preaching are entirely in vain. --See that pert young man, he hasjust left his loom or his plough, and he is going to hammer at a bitof Latin; by and by, he becomes a mighty smatterer: With his littlesense, little grace, and next to no learning, he harangues famouslyabout a decree and a covenant, and puffs and parades, and shouts outamain, "O the sweetness of God's electing love!" Having by this timeacquired a pretty good stock of assurance, he looks out for a shop, that is, in the quaint phrase, "he waits for a call;" by and by thedesired object appears, the bargain is struck, and the stipend issettled, and now we have our pert youngster a Reverend Sir!--"Well, but what is he to do?" Why, we should think, call sinners torepentance, and comfort mourners, and establish believers, and helptheir faith. But, alas! this is all in vain. This Reverend Sir mightas well have stayed at his loom or plough, as take the poor people'smoney for watching over their souls, when all from first to last wassettled by an unalterable decree. Such is the consistency of predestinarian teachers. Poor simplesouls, who are thus led, do not you see that if such a decree isgone forth, you are supporting an idle man in vain?[1]--What end ispreaching to answer? Let him lecture with ever such state andassurance, if the time, the place, the manner be all fixed: I say heis an ignorant, lazy drone, who is picking his poor people'spockets; but, perhaps, it was decreed that it should be so. [2] V. It makes promises and threatenings useless. --I apprehend promisesare intended to encourage the fainthearted, and such as are ready tobe discouraged in their way; and the Lord who has made them, nodoubt, designs to fulfil the same. They are not mere baubles, butthe firm and never-failing words of God. Yet they are conditional. Iknow no promise made to us, in the way of experience, but there is acondition either expressed or implied. The only promises which canin any measure be said to be unconditional, are such as respectChrist's coming into the world, the pouring out of the Spirit, orthe preaching of the Gospel. But as for such as respect theforgiveness of sins, consolation, sanctification, or glorification, they are all conditional, and, as such, are intended to encourageall who are travelling to Mount Zion. So with regard to the threatenings; they are intended to warn theunruly, and put a check upon the disobedient; so that no sinner mayrush upon his own damnation, without being duly apprised of thesame. "And why is he apprised? Barely to torment him before thetime?" No, verily; but, like the citizen's hearing the sound of thetrumpet, that he may take the warning, and escape the danger. But ifthere is an irrevocable decree, if all things are so ordered andfixed from eternity, then are the threatenings mere scare-crows;they can answer no valuable end at all, and might as well be givento stocks and stones as to human beings, if they have no power totake the awful warning. And does not this make the word of God ofnone effect? Certainly; if promises have no power to allure andencourage, that is, if the human race are not to be moved by them, and if their power of obeying is wholly taken from them, it is invain for God to call out, "How long, ye simple ones, will you lovesimplicity? Turn ye at my reproof. Unto you, O men, I call! and myvoice is unto the sons of men. " It is in vain for him to say, "Come, let us reason together; though your sins be like scarlet, they shallbe white as wool: And though they be red like crimson, they shall beas snow. Come, let us reason together!" "Reason! with what?" Brutes, nay stocks and stones! How absurd! Would a wise man make such aproposal? How does this inconsistent scheme reflect upon theinfinitely wise and gracious God? Shall vain man throw such an odiumupon his Maker? God forbid! But such an odium does this decree throwupon unerring wisdom; and all the quibbles in the world cannot clearit of the same. Again: let God speak like thunder, "The wicked shallbe turned into hell, and all the people that forget God!" yet if thesinner is incapable of taking the warning, what empty bombast doesit make of the awful threatening! But let God be true, and every mana liar who can cast such vile reflections upon his righteousproceedings. VI. It is contrary to every attribute in the Deity. --Now his justiceis the severest attribute of the blessed God; that is manifest whenits sword awaked against the Man who was his fellow, when the greatMediator bled for human crimes. Yet even this attribute must beconsistent with mercy and goodness; nay, the very term itselfimplies there is no wrong in it. But how can we clear the justice ofGod, if he has ordained that man shall sin; nay, is made for thatvery end, and then to be damned for it? There is nothing equal tothis in the whole compass of history. That which bears the nearestresemblance is the well-known instance of Tiberius; when determinedto destroy a noble family root and branch, finding a young virginwho could not, by the Roman laws, be put to death, he ordered thehangman to ravish the poor innocent, young and helpless creature, and then to strangle her. Such a horrid picture do these lowadvocates draw of the justice of the Supreme Being!--And what shallwe say of his love? Nay, hear what David said of it, namely, that"He is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. "Hear what the lip of truth himself hath said, "God so loved theworld, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believethin him should not perish, but have everlasting life. " "God so lovedthe world;" "that is, " say they, the "elect world. " And what proofdo they bring for such an interpretation? None; nay, that is acircumstance which is often forgotten. But we need go no fartherthan the text itself, to confute that rugged interpretation; onlylet the grammatical sense of the words be attended unto, --"God soloved the _elect_ world, that whosoever of the _elect_ worldbelieveth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. " Thenwhat is become of the elect world which do not believe in him?According to this scheme, there are some of the elect world whichwill not believe in him, and so perish. See what consequences followsuch absurdities! St. John says, "Behold what manner of love theFather hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons ofGod. " But the poor reprobates may argue, "Behold what manner of hateand destruction the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we shouldthus by his decree be called reprobates, children of darkness, enemies to God, strangers to the commonwealth of Israel, and enemiesto the cross of Christ. " And what can we say, upon such principles, for the pity of Him whosebowels melt with tenderness? Who are the objects of his pity? Arenot poor miserable objects, who are plunged into a hopeless, helpless situation through the fall, and become offenders throughthe original transgression? The doctrine under consideration is sofar from representing any pity to such unavoidable objects, that itreally represents God, of his own sovereign good-will and pleasure, bringing them into that deplorable situation, and then leaving themto perish without remedy, and taking a horrid pleasure in theireverlasting destruction. O thou pitiful anti compassionate Lord God, what a picture of vindictive cruelty does this sad doctrine exhibitof thy tenderness and pity to poor sinners! And what plea is there for the goodness of God, upon the same gloomydoctrine? I can see none. Now goodness does not seem to be so muchany one attribute, as a blessed assemblage of them all put together. It seems a collection of all the glorious and blessed qualities inthe adorable Deity, shining out in countless rays on every side; animage of which is the sun which shines on the evil and good, and theinnumerable drops of rain which fall on the just and the unjust. Some have asked me, "Do you not think that God might have justlypassed you by, and left you without his grace or help at all?" Ianswered, No; I think he could not have done any such thing. That Iwas shapen in iniquity, and in sin conceived, I allow; its woefuleffects I feel to this day. But then that was not my fault. I couldnot help it; and certain I am, that God never demands the taking upof that which he never laid down, or reaping where he has not sown. That I have, times without number, rejected that grace which bringssalvation to all, and abused it again and again, I do with shame andconfusion acknowledge; and that he might have taken away the abusedtalents, and, from my so frequently turning a deaf ear to his lovingvoice, have sworn I should not enter into his rest, is a truth whichI feelingly confess. But that he could or would leave me a slave toeverlasting misery on account of my original depravity, I utterlydeny. Where shall we find the mercy of God, according to this mercilessdoctrine? It is said that "mercy is his darling attribute, and thatjudgment is his strange work. " But according to this scheme, we mustreverse this sentence, and say that "_judgment_, or rathereverlasting destruction, is his darling attribute; and that mercy ishis strange work. " It is said, that "his tender mercies are over allhis works. " This must mean over such as have sinned; for such ashave not sinned, do not stand in need of mercy. But this narrowlimited doctrine does not make his mercy extend to a tenth part ofhis works. If I see a multitude of poor wretches hanging over adreadful fiery furnace, and can extend my help to them all as easilyas to one, but will not, this speaks but little for my mercy; and aslittle does this doctrine speak for the unbounded mercy of God. [3] VII. It contradicts common sense. --There is something of a light inthe breast of every one, which the Author of our being has planted, and which we call "the understanding. " By this we are enabled to seethings in common life which are consistent or inconsistent; so evenin religious matters there may be asserted some things so shockinglyinconsistent as may affront even what we call common sense, andperhaps may be a stumbling-block in the way of many. Should thelegislative power of England give out laws or acts of parliament tobe obeyed, and rewards promised to the obedient, and punishmentsdenounced to the disobedient; but at the same time, by some secretsprings of management, should so order it, that a certain numbershould be constrained to obey, in some particular time, called a dayof power; and the remaining part should be under an unavoidablenecessity of disobeying, either by being constrained todisobedience, or for want of that ability to obey which thegovernment could only give, but it was denied them: now must it notshock all common sense, and all degrees of truth and justice, tofind these poor impotent wretches brought to the stake to be burntalive, because they could not do impossibilities? And does not everyone see the case is parallel, when the great Judge shalt pass thesentence of condemnation at the last day, "Go, ye cursed, intoeverlasting fire?"--"Why, what for? Because I have decreed it shallbe so?" No: "I was hungry, but ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, but ye gave me no drink. " We do not find them objecting any suchdecree being made against them; if there had, how could they havebeen furnished with a better plea? They might have said, "Lord, thouknowest we could not reverse thy decree, nor avoid our impendingdoom. Didst thou not ordain that we should just do as we have done, seeing thou hast fore-ordained from eternity whatsoever should cometo pass in time? So that we have just fulfilled thy counsel, anddone all thy pleasure. " Here it seems pretty plain that such ascheme must fill the prisoner's mouth with undeniable arguments, while the judge has his mouth stopped. How horrid the bare thoughtappeared, in so much as it shocks me to make the supposition! Andyet it is no more than what this uncouth system inevitably holdsforth; it is the plain undeniable consequence. Let them shift it offthat can; and if they cannot, let them renounce so unscriptural, soabsurd a scheme, which fathers such broad blasphemies upon theFather of mercies, and the God of truth. VIII. It has a tendency to licentiousness. [4]--It is well known thatthe human heart is deceitful above all things, and desperatelywicked; that it is prone to every vice, and is glad to catch atanything to keep itself in countenance. But can anything be bettercalculated to cause a poor fallen creature to sing to his lusts, andsound a requiem to his sensual soul, than a doctrine which informshim, that "all things are ordained from eternity, " and he must sitstill, and, if he is a chosen vessel, he will some time or anotherbe called upon; and, if otherwise, all his striving or seeking willavail nothing at all. Besides, if he feels propensities to anysensual appetites, like a true free-thinker, he may say, "What arethese passions or appetites for, but that I may gratify them? Or, why should I endeavour to deny myself, seeing I cannot alter whatGod has decreed? I may eat, drink, dance, sing, swear, live inuncleanness, just as my inclinations lead me. To stem the torrent isin vain, seeing it is fixed, unalterably fixed, nor is it in mypower to reverse the same. " Nor do there want instances in historyof such as have died under the grossest delusions, affirming, ifthey were deceived, it was God who had deceived them. All the callsto repentance, all the invitations to Christ, all the exhortationsto holiness, self-denial, and mortification, plainly imply acapacity to prevent them in the parties addressed, or their labouris absurd; but absolute predestination supposes no such thing, anymore than if the stones in the street were exhorted to arise andrun, or the sign-posts were exhorted to take up arms and defend thecity. IX. It makes the God of all grace and goodness worse than thedevil. --One of the names given to satan is Apollyon, that is, "adestroyer;" but then he is not destroying his own work, he isseeking to destroy the works of God, whose daring enemy he is, andthereby acts consistently with himself. But this gloomy schemerepresents God bringing innumerable beings into existence, notbarely to destroy them, but to torment them for ever. Can anythingbe greater blasphemy? But be it what it will, it is the naturalconsequence of all things being ordained from eternity, which are tocome to pass in time. What a dismal picture of the blessed God! WhenI have read of some of the Popish massacres, I have been muchshocked, and my very blood has run chill; much more so, when I haveread of some religious rites of the heathens; such as their offeringthe captives, who were taken in war, sacrifices to their devil-gods, nay, even their own children that have been offered up in theflames; I have found it raise an unspeakable indignation againstboth them and their religion. And what idea must a person have ofthat God who has made on purpose millions of rationals to fulfil hisdecree here, censuring and frowning for ever over them, while theyare tormented with endless flames, for just doing what he hasordained them to do? Lord, how is thy name blasphemed by doctrinesso contrary to thy goodness, pity, and love? X. Lastly. If the unconditional decree be a true doctrine, thenthere is no such thing as sin in the world. --Everything is justgoing on as he would have it to be; all are acting in the departmentof life which is appointed. Therefore go on, ye jolly drunkards, andjovial song-singers; proceed, ye numerous tribes of profane swearersand sabbath-breakers; curse on, ye horrid blasphemers and swarms ofliars; ye murderers, plunderers, unclean profligates, --ye are alldoing the will of God, answering the great ends for which you weremade. What avails all the noise the preacher makes about the wickedbeing turned into hell, and all the nations which forget God? Lethim cry out, till his face is black, "Turn ye, turn ye, from yourevil ways. " If ye be ordained to turn, ye shall turn; if not, allhis zeal will avail no more than a tinkling cymbal. Therefore, hethat is praying, and he that is preaching; he that is speaking thetruth, and he that is lying; he that is labouring honestly, and hethat is stealing; he that is chaste, and he that is impure; he thatis over-reaching, and he that deals honestly; he that sings thesongs of Zion, and he that sings the songs of satan; in a word, hethat is converted, and he that is unconverted; he that is abeliever, and he that is an unbeliever; are all doing the will ofGod, which none can acid to, and none can take from; but all thingsare just in the state and condition which God has appointed, and allare just doing what his will is, and then there is no such thing assin in the world. I should now have finished this small affair, only two or threeobjections, which have sometimes been made against UniversalRedemption, may justly and with very great propriety be retortedupon the objectors. First. "To assert that Christ died for every man, or, what is thevery same thing, that all men may be saved if they will, is mereheathenism. " Answer. Whether it be heathenism or not, I am certain that absolutepredestination is. For it is well known that the stoics were a veryextensive sect among the heathens, and it is equally known that theyheld an absolute fatality, that is, absolute predestination. Theyeven made Jupiter, their supreme deity, subject to the fates; andeven that "father of gods and men, " as they termed him, could notreverse what the fates had decreed to be done. Their fatesdetermined what kingdoms should rise, and what should fall; whatheroes should conquer, and what should be conquered. This doctrineruns throughout the poem of Homer called the Iliad; so that he makesthe fates determine the ends of his two chief heroes, Hector andAchilles. And though the former was knocked down several times inthe different engagements and dangerously wounded, yet as the fateshad decreed that he should fall by the hand of Achilles, he isrescued from destruction by a deity, because the time of his deathwas not yet arrived. So that whether our asserting that "all may besaved, if it is not their own fault, " be heathenism, it is certainthat unconditional predestination is; and if that proves the untruthof it, then are their absolute decrees untrue. Secondly. They say that "our doctrine is Popery. " This has as frightful an aspect as the other, and perhaps more so;as many think there is less danger of their turning Heathens, thantheir turning Papists. But be not frightened at nothing; perhaps thetables again may be turned upon the objectors. Whether Christ'stasting death for every man be Popery or not, I am sure absolutepredestination is; and it argues, that they who start that objectionare ignorant of the tenets of the Papists. It is well known, thatthat large fraternity among the Papists called Dominicans, were allrigid predestinarians, as well as those called Jansenists. And Ivery much question if Calvin himself did not spring from the formerstock; and, when he came from the church of Rome, brought thatbranch of Popery along with him, by which means the leaven spreadamong many of the Protestants. It would shock any mind which is notquite intoxicated with the absolute decrees, to read what somewriters of the above-mentioned classes have said concerning Godfore-ordaining sin and misery, and how much he is pleased with thesame, nay, how he is glorified thereby, far more than by holiness. From hence it is very evident, that absolute predestination isdownright Popery. Again: the Mahometans are rigid predestinarians;--a doctrine whichsuits that cruel disposition for which they are so remarkable; thesame leaven which spreads among the predestinarians among thosewhich are called Christians. The same vindictive, sour spirit wefind in Calvin; witness his conduct towards Servetus, who was by hismeans burned to death. The same savage turn we see in Knox. Let anyone read the proceedings of the infamous Synod of Dort. Could anyPopish tribunal be more boisterous or arbitrary? How were the poorRemonstrants dragooned from place to place! It seemed as if thattime was come, when no man should buy or sell who had not the markof the beast of predestination either in his forehead or in hisright hand; that is, either public or private. Let any one read thebook called the "Cloud of Witnesses. " Did they die like truemartyrs, calling for mercy upon their persecutors? No; the book isfull of very dreadful execrations and horrible anathemas, pronouncedwith their dying breath. Does the spirit of Jesus breathe outthreatening and slaughter in such a manner, so as to bind eternalvengeance upon any one? Let any one consult the spirit of theSeceders and Sandemonians, and they will see the same genuineMahometan spirit, which is as contrary to that doctrine which says, "Let all bitterness, and malice, and anger be put away from you, " asdarkness is to light. Certain it is, that love worketh no ill to anyone; nay, it thinketh no evil; it is the end of the commandment outof a pure heart. Reader, weigh these things attentively; consult the Scriptures, comparing Scripture with Scripture; and consider the nature of thatDeity whose essential character is Love. THE END. James Nichols, Printer, Leeds. Footnotes [1] "I presume, nothing is intended here against any humble, pious, good man. " Ed. [2] It is easy to observe, that the above entirely refers to thepredestinarians of the Dissenting party; whatever may be said ofthem, it must be acknowledged, they act a far more honest andingenuous part than the predestinarians who are Ministers of theestablished Church. As Dissenting Ministers are maintained by thevoluntary contributions of their hearers, their hearers are atliberty to withdraw their assistance; but then Ministers, who obtainparishes and lectureships, &c. , yet being predestinarians, arepreying upon the emoluments of the Church, and are real Dissenterswithin her own walls. But perhaps a half sheet may take a littlefarther notice of them shortly. [3] It is not the design of this small dissertation to prove what isasserted at large, or answer the objections which have been madeagainst God's being loving to every man, or to explain theScriptures which Calvinists bring in to defend their tenets. No, mydesign is only to present the reader, who has no better way ofknowing, with a few of the principal features of Calvinism. But Iwish to recommend "John Goodwin's Redemption Redeemed;" or "Mr. Sellon's answer to Cole, " or his "Arguments against GeneralRedemption Considered. " Who or what this Sellon is, I know not, except from his writings, having never to my knowledge seen thegentleman in my life; but by his writings I find that he is anhonest, consistent Minister of the establishment; and that he is asensible man, and a scholar, one who has well studied the originalScriptures, and the nature of the controversy. Likewise I beg leaveto recommend what entirely satisfied me on this head, "Mr. Wesley'sPredestination Calmly Considered. " That, and his Sermon on FreeGrace, I wish every reader duly to consider. "Mr. Sellon's works have lately been published in 2 vols. 8vo. Price16s. By Blanshard, London. " Ed. [4] "Of this tendency we have but too many lamentable proofs. " Ed.